


Love Like Woe

by midnightdown (sailorsuga)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, Internalized Homophobia, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-12
Updated: 2015-11-12
Packaged: 2018-05-01 05:39:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5194253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sailorsuga/pseuds/midnightdown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>‘But I think you’re a pretty sweet pill that I’m swallowing down to counter this addiction…’</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love Like Woe

**Author's Note:**

> (2010/11 Steph): This is so fluffy and I hate myself. Enjoy :D
> 
> (2015 Steph): THIS IS THE WORST EVER OMG. I think this was my first fic ever. I wrote it in like an hour and just posted it but it sucks. There's also this HUGE error about frog dissecting in high school. I've never dissected a frog and I asked the wrong friend their opinion so it's written as if they give you the frogs live. I KNOW this is wrong now but I'm keeping it as is because this is how it's written on my tumblr and I just want to keep my stories as they are. Which is also why the spelling/grammar errors will not be changed. This is very cheesy and bad.

“Hi! I’m Niall Horan, I’m 15 years old, I’m from Mullingar, Ireland, and I’m bisexual. So if anybody’s willing, I’ll be happy to take you out sometime!”

Zayn thinks that’s the moment he realized that Niall Horan was a complete and total moron. You don’t just march into a new school and whore yourself out like that; you’re basically asking for bullying. But, judging by the doofus smile on the kids’ face, he didn’t seem to know or care.

Niall practically  _skipped_ to the back of class, seemingly unaware of the snickers and comments he was getting from his new classmates. He just smiled and took out his notebook and started doodling…was that a pot of gold?

Yeah, Zayn was sure this kid was stupid.

\--

“You mind if I sit here?”

Zayn glanced up from the nuclear waste that the school dared to call food” to come face to face with the ever-so-bubbly face of the new kid.

“No.” he said simply and went back to examining the food.

Niall pouted. “Why not?”

Zayn scrunched up his face in confusion. Did this kid just question his anti-social attitude?

“Because I don’t like people.”

“I don’t like that answer so I’m sitting here, okay?” Niall said, just as energetic as always and sat down on the other side of Zayn, shoving down the food like a vacuum and Zayn watched on, horrified.

“How can you eat that…stuff?”

“I have an iron stomach. I can and will eat anything.” Niall replied with a giggle. A freaking  _giggle._

Zayn decided now was a better time than ever to ask the question. “Hey, what you said this morning about being bi,” Niall tilted his head in a way Zayn found too cute to be done by a teenage boy. “Were you just kidding or…”

“Nope, I was being honest!” Niall chirped happily.

“Why would you do something like that?” Zayn asked. “You know people will talk right?”

Niall shrugged. “People always talk. That ain’t ever gonna change. I guess I just did it because I didn’t care,” then he grinned. “I’m happy like this, you know?”

Surprisingly, Zayn did know.

It was quiet for the next thirty minutes as Niall just ate and Zayn took hesitant bites of his food.

\--

The next day, Niall sat next to Zayn in Biology.

“Do you have a thing about sitting alone or what?” he asked as he took a seat beside him.

“I thought I told you I didn’t like people.” Zayn grumbled, shuffling through the songs on his iPod.

“I know what you said,” Niall replied. “I just didn’t care.”

Zayn shot him an unbelieving gaze and was about to call him every nasty name in the book until Mr. Cowell walked in and announced class had begun.

“Okay class. Today is dissection day; your lab partner will be the person you are sitting next to. Grab a frog and let’s get started.”

Niall gave Zayn a cocky smile. “Looks like we’re partners.”

“Die.” Zayn sneered as Mr. Cowell dropped a beaker with a frog in it onto the table.

“This is disgusting.” Zayn muttered, looking at the live frog croak.

“…I don’t wanna do it.” Niall said and Zayn glanced at him.

He looked hurt; his eyes were filled with pity and his normally joyful face was scrunched up in a sad frown.

_It was only a damn frog…_

“Well it’s our grade, idiot. Which one matters more?” Zayn said in response, grabbing a knife and a tray. Though, he didn’t mean it. Zayn had been dreading this day; when he had to dissect a frog but he had reputation to keep up. He wasn’t going to chicken out.

“I’d feel better knowing I got an F than I killed a frog.” Niall stated and grabbed the beaker, turning it upside down and letting the frog out.

“Idiot!” Zayn hissed. “What are you doing?”

“I’ll take responsibility, okay?” Niall said with a bright smile and Zayn was at a loss for words.

That day, he let Niall let the frog escape through the classroom window and got an F.

Strangely, Zayn couldn’t find it in himself to even care. All he saw in his mind was Niall’s sweet smile and everything else was…unf.

That moron was getting in his head and it’s only been two days…

\--

By the third day, Zayn was sure he was going to kill the idiot.

It started with Art class and Ms. Cole told everyone to draw a picture of something that made them happy. Everyone thought it was completely stupid but went along with it. Rebecca Ferguson drawing a picture of a microphone on its stand; Louis Tomlinson drawing a picture of carrots; and Harry Styles drawing a (terrible) picture of Louis.

Zayn, personally, was kind of excited; he had always liked art and was quite skilled in it. However, not many things made him happy so there was a challenge.

“What cha drawing?” Zayn nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt Niall’s breath on his neck.

“Nothing, obviously.” Zayn deadpanned. Niall looked at the blank canvas with a confused expression.

“Hm.” He remarked before holding up his own jumbled up masterpiece. “Here’s mine.”

Despite himself, Zayn took a look at Niall’s drawing. It was a mess really; different drawings everywhere.

“What the hell did you draw?” Zayn asked.

Niall laughed and Zayn fought the blood from rushing to his face.

“All the things that make me happy. See,” Niall said, pointing to a small picture in the center of the paper.

“See, that’s Nandos; my favorite restaurant. And that’s a cheeseburger; and that’s Cher and Liam; and that’s Harry’s curls; and that’s my guitar…”

He droned on, pointing at different drawings animatedly. But one caught Zayn’s eye in particular.

“What’s that one?” he questioned, pointing at a small drawing in the corner of the page.

“Hm? Oh, that one!” Niall exclaimed. “That’s you!”

Zayn was taken back and he gave Niall an incredulous look. “You barely know me.” He stated.

Niall shrugged. “I like talking to you.” He giggled that damn cute giggle again.

Yea, Zayn thought the kid was definitely special.

At the end of the day, everyone turned in their drawings but Ms. Cole had pulled Zayn back after class.

“Zayn, your drawing isn’t quite clear to me. I see it’s a person but…I’m a bit confused.”

“It’s someone laughing.”

“That’s what makes you happy?” Ms. Cole asked with a warm smile. Zayn shrugged.

“Somewhat.”

\--

Days turned into weeks and then months and before Zayn knew it, it was nearly a year. Nearly a year of strange encounters with Niall and nearly a year of pretending he hated them.

He stopped caring about sitting by Niall at lunch or during Biology. He didn’t mind the weird conversations and sickeningly cute behavior. Zayn was just  _content._  He couldn’t find it in himself to hate Niall’s company. It was nearly impossible with the boy constantly laughing and smiling as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Sometimes, Zayn wondered if Niall was a happy as he seemed; if how he was acting all just a joke and then Niall giggled and he didn’t even care anymore.

He doubted anyone could be that good at fake happiness.

“You know what I just realized,” Niall said one day at lunch, breaking the silence as always.

Zayn looked up from the radioactive trash on his plate to Niall who was chewing his food thoughtfully.

“I don’t even know your name.” Niall told him and Zayn frowned.

It had been nearly a year and he never told Niall what his name was; just gave him harsh comments and anti-social attitude.

“It’s Zayn.” Zayn found himself saying, not even thinking about it and he began to wonder what happened to his control. So what if Niall didn’t know his name. They weren’t friends or anything.

Right?

“Zayn.” Niall tested the name out and Zayn blushed, lowering his head in hopes Niall wouldn’t catch it.

“I like it. Sounds cool.” Niall determined with a doofus grin.

Zayn was skeptical. “What’s cool about Zayn?”

“You don’t hear it often, you know? It’s different. It fits you.” Niall answered.

“It’d fit you better.” Zayn said and cursed internally for, once again, losing control over his own mouth.

“You think so?” Niall asked, sounding surprised. “I don’t. You can find a million people like me. You’re weird, Zayn. That’s a good thing.”

Zayn seriously doubted he’d find someone else like Niall.

\--

It was the third day in of summer break that Zayn was starting to feel Niall-withdrawal.

It was  _fucking strange_ not hearing that damn cute laugh of his and not seeing that bright smile everywhere he looked. Zayn was gloomier than usual and he had Niall to blame. He never thought it’d ever get this bad.

“Zayn, close up shop, will ya?” Savan, Zayn’s boss at the local bakery, asked. Zayn nodded without a word and grabbed his keys, leaving the shop and locking the door behind him.

The bakery was right next to the beach so, a lot of times, Zayn took the long way home so he could watch the sunset on the water. Cheesy, he knew it, but he always thought it’d make for a pretty drawing.

But when he looked over the horizon this evening, he saw a familiar figure sitting in the sand.

“No way.” He whispered, hopping over the railing and walking towards the beach.

“Niall.” He called and the Mullingar native turned around to face him.

Zayn felt the blood rush to his face when he saw those baby blue eyes and million-watt smile. He never thought he’d have it this bad for somebody.

He was shirtless, obviously he had gone swimming, and his wet blonde hair clung to his forehead.

“Hey, Zayn.” He laughed and Zayn couldn’t fight the smile that crept on his face. The sensation was new and so was the action but he invited it; it was Niall. It was bound to happen.

Niall blinked. “You’re smiling.” He said in disbelief.

“Yes, I’m very capable of smiling.” Zayn deadpanned and Niall snickered.

“I missed that sarcasm.”

“Can’t imagine why.” Zayn replied, not missing a beat. “What are you doing here?”

“I like the beach.” Niall answered, looking out at the sea. “We used to come here a lot—me and my brother, Sean.”

Zayn raised an eyebrow. “He doesn’t come anymore?”

Niall did something unfamiliar and his bright azure eyes flickered with something strange: sadness. But he continued to smile.

“Um, no. He died in a car crash last year.”

Zayn’s expression softened. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright,” Niall said, sitting down by the railing. “It’s not like it’s your fault.”

Zayn nodded. “I guess but still…”

It was quiet for a moment.  “I’m still not quite settled with it.” Niall spoke. “He was like…everything to me. I wanted to be just like him; he showed me things I never saw before, he made me laugh, he taught me things. I just…I just can’t quite get over it, yet. I’ve never had to try so hard to get someone out of my head, you know?”

Zayn was at a loss for words. This side of Niall was…new to him. He was so used to seeing smiley-happy-oh-I’m-just-so happy-to-be-here Niall. This boy was someone else entirely. He was a crying, sad, and miserable kid who lost something huge in their life and Zayn didn’t know what to say to him. He knew how to talk to Niall but not this person.

So Zayn did the best thing he could do and he wrapped his arms around Niall and pulled him into a warm embrace.

“I wouldn’t understand how you feel and I’m not really sure what to say but it’ll get better. Whether you want to believe it or not.” Zayn whispered.

Niall hiccupped. “I didn’t expect this from you.” He croaked.

“I’m not  _that_ evil.” Zayn remarked, drawing out a small laugh from Niall.

He felt his heart warm up at that. He liked that Niall better; he never wanted to see this guy again.

\--

“Draw a picture that reflects something special from your summer vacation.”

That was the Art class challenge that Ms. Cole had given the students their first day back.

Zayn scrunched up his face in thought as he stared at the blank canvas.

“Hey, Zayn!” Niall called, hopping beside him and glancing at the blank canvas.

“Not getting anything, huh?”

Zayn shook his head. “Let me guess, you wanna show me your doodles.”

Niall snickered. “That sounded dirty but yeah. Look!”

Once again, Zayn was looking at a jumbled up collage of whatever. Niall began to point out his drawings and what they meant. As he talked a mile a minute, Zayn began to get his idea and started to draw.

By the end of class, he was finished and the bell had cut off Niall mid-sentence.

“Aw, oh well. Hm? Zayn, are you done?” Niall said, glancing at Zayn’s picture.

“It’s the beach.” He stated and Zayn nodded.

“Yeah.”

“Everyone goes to the beach.”

“I only went once this summer.” Zayn told him and realization dawned on Niall and a grin started to spread.

“Awww! Zayn!”

“Ah! Quit hugging me! It burns, damn it!”

\--

The day Niall asked Zayn out was the day Zayn had lost every trace of bitterness and sarcasm he had left.

“I mean, I know you really don’t like people-or me-too much and you’ll probably think it’s stupid cuz you think everything’s stupid and I’m probably wasting my time and—“

“Niall.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll go out with you.”

“Damn it! I knew it was a bad idea! I’m so dumb! I just—wait did you say yes?”

Zayn nodded his head, a genuine smile on his lips and Niall burst out laughing. He never did forget that stupid little victory dance Niall did on the cafeteria table. It got him detention for the day but he didn’t seem to mind. He was too happy to care.

\--

Zayn’s first date with Niall was, too put it simply, a disaster.

They were supposed to go to a fancy French restaurant and have a perfect evening—well until Niall said something in French that he knew he didn’t know the meaning of and got them both kicked out in the pouring rain.

“Man, I’m sorry, Zayn. I guess I kinda ruined everything.” Niall said after they had found a place to keep them dry and warm for the time being. It was a nearby church that he had run into.

“Oh, not kinda.” Zayn remarked. “You did. BIG TIME.”

Niall dropped his head down to the floor.

“But,” Zayn started, turning his head from Niall. “I still kinda had fun.”

Niall raised an eyebrow. “How? We got kicked out of a restaurant, had to run through the rain, and now we’re soaking wet in a church.”

“I thought I was the pessimist.” Zayn said and Niall shrugged.

“Listen, you dumbass.” Zayn ordered, standing up and looking down at Niall.

“I fucking like you, okay? I have since I met you and I couldn’t give less of a shit about how supposedly bad this date was!” he fussed and Niall’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I like being with you. I always have so quit whining. I’m the pessimist here, let’s keep it that way.”

The two stared at each other for a while, Zayn’s gaze hard and unwavering while Niall’s a mixture of surprise and something else Zayn couldn’t read.

Niall stood up after a while and grabbed Zayn’s shoulders.

“Niall, what are you—mmph.”

Niall crashed their lips together and Zayn shivered. He had always imagined what it’d be like to kiss Niall. But now that it was happening, he realized it was so much better. The kiss wasn’t long but it was enough for the both of them.

“I’m happy, you know? Knowing that that’s how you feel.”

“…I hate chick flick moments.” Zayn remarked before pulling Niall in for another kiss.

Yeah, he had it bad. But he didn’t really mind that much anymore.


End file.
